In his message on the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed every year on March 24, the President of India said on March 23 that the National TB Elimination Programme's effective deployment of mitigation measures ensured that TB patients had continued access to treatment even during the COVID pandemic.

"I am happy to note that the National TB Elimination Programme was quick to deploy effective mitigation measures and adapted to the changing environment to ensure that the TB patients across the country had access to treatment, despite facing many challenges due to the pandemic," President said in a statement.

World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 every year to raise public awareness about TB. On this day in 1882, Robert Koch had announced the discovery of the bacteria that causes TB, paving the way for diagnosis and cure of this deadly disease.

"The outbreak of COVID-19 and the emergence of new variants of coronavirus had brought unprecedented stress on the country's healthcare system. It posed an extraordinary challenge to the healthcare infrastructure. The combined efforts of the Centre and state governments, along with our healthcare workers, in launching the world's biggest vaccination drive strengthened our fight against the pandemic," the President noted.

He also conveyed his best wishes for the launch of the India TB Report 2022. "I take this occasion to congratulate all the TB champions who have battled the disease and are showing the way for others. Let us all work together to achieve a TB-free India by 2025," the statement said.